Nicola Sturgeon unveils Year of Young People programme in Dumfries
The First Minister was at the Oasis Youth Centre on Monday morning
Last updated 13th Nov 2017
The First Minister has visited a youth centre in Dumfries- to launch Scotland’s Year of Young People.
The country’s youth will be in the spotlight in 2018, with a host of events and activities taking place across the country.
A new young writers’ festival and a festival of theatre by the National Theatre of Scotland are included in the programme, along with a Scottish mental health arts festival.
The year will also be marked at the Belladrum Tartan Heart Music Festival and the Tiree Music festival, with Scotland's largest free youth music festival, Youth Beatz in Dumfries, being expanded to run over two days.
The programme, which is being co-ordinated by the Young Scot organisation, will cover sport, music and theatre as well as business and baking.
Nicola Sturgeon was at The Oasis Youth Centre in Dumfries to launch the events programme on Monday.
The First Minister said: “The Year of Young People is not about people like me telling young people what’s important- it’s about us for once stopping talking and hearing from young people what issues they want to see given greater priority.”
Chief executive Louise Macdonald said: “The events programme for the Year of Young People 2018 is looking phenomenal.
“Thanks to the support of EventScotland and all the young people involved in deciding the programme, it's clear it's been created with young people at its heart.
“There are so many different opportunities in 2018, right across the country, to celebrate young people, develop their interests, put power into their hands and bring different generations together.”
Paul Bush, director of events at tourism body VisitScotland, said young people had been involved in drawing up the programme, which will “celebrate our amazing young talent and provide opportunities for young people to express themselves through culture, sport and a range of other activities”.
He added: “Working with the events and festivals industry in Scotland, 2018 provides us with a special opportunity to showcase both our rich annual events programme and a host of brand new events which will bring the themes of the year alive.
“The programme, which is entirely co-designed with young people, will further reinforce Scotland's position as the perfect stage for events, putting young people in the driving seat and giving them a wonderful opportunity to show the world what they are made of."